A Father's Return
by kora22
Summary: A lion that enters the Pridelands, claiming to be Nala and Mheetu's father... And he's not there for a happy reunion.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Did you all like that cliffhangar I left you on? Maybe you didn't and you're all angry... Oh well...**

* * *

**A Father's Return**

**Chapter One: Shock**

"What?" Was the only thing Nala could say to the lion that had suddenly appeared. After coming from their adventure in the Badlands, this was the last thing she expected to happen. A mysterious lion had appeared, claiming to be her father.

"Don't look so surprised." The lion told her. "Surely you knew you have a father?"

This couldn't be true... Nala's father was dead. Roka's father had murdered him, she still remembered the sadness of that event. So, how could this be her father? There was no way this guy was telling the truth.

"I've been looking for you for a long time." he told her, "Come, why don't we take a walk?"

"Don't do it, Nala." Simba warned her. "We don't know this guy."

"Don't worry." Nala told him, "I'm not going anywhere. He isn't my father. My father was murdered."

"Who told you that?" the lion asked. "Your mother?"

"I was there when it happened." Nala said, "I know who my real father is."

"Obviously your mother lied to you..." he said, "She's not a very good parent, is she?"

Nala was about to argue back, but then she heard her mother calling her.

"Nala!" they all heard Sarafina's voice call, "Where are you?"

"At the water hole, Mom!" Nala yelled back, "You need to come down here for a minute!"

A few moments later, Sarafina came into view. She froze when she saw the lion that was standing with Simba, Nala, and Haiba. He was the last animal that she needed to deal with.

"Nala," Sarafina said, "you three go back to Pride Rock. Now."

"He says he's my dad." Nala said, "Dad was killed, remember? This guy says that he wasn't my father."

"Nala..." Sarafina said with frustration, "Go."

Nala, Simba, and Haiba could sense the immense anger in Sarafina's voice. They decided that it would be best to do what they were told, though Nala was a little reluctant to leave her mother with this lion.

Sarafina waited until the cubs were out of sight before she spoke. "Buko!" She hissed at the lion as she spun around to face him. "I told you that I never wanted to see you again!"

"Be reasonable, Sarafina." Buko said, "I'm only here too see my daughter. who you've apparently been lying to... Not letting her know her true dad, it's quite a shame."

"My children don't need scum like you in their lives!" She spat, "I suggest you leave before I inform the king you're here."

Buko ignored her threat, but still had a bit of a surprised look on his face. "_Children?_" He had no idea that he had another cub.

Sarafina had never told him when she was pregnant with Mheetu. As far as she was concerned, Buko wasn't their father, she had met someone when she had arrived in the Lake Pride who was much better than Buko. Nala and Mheetu didn't need Buko in their lives... That would only make everything worse for them... Just like he had done to Sarafina's life. The only good thing that came from being with him were her cubs.

"Yes," Sarafina said, "as in more than one. You didn't deserve to know about your son, and I made sure Nala wouldn't remember you. They don't need to know what kind of monster you are. They had someone who really loved them. You wouldn't have."

"Oh, Sarafina..." Buko said. "You don't get anywhere by lying to your cubs."

Sarafina growled at him, "Just leave... If I see you anywhere near either of my children again, I will kill you."

"Heh..." Buko laughed, "Sarafina, you haven't seen the last of me, and neither has Nala. Go ahead and warn your pride... I'll get what I want, one way or another." He left the water hole, leaving Sarafina glaring at him as he was walking away.

* * *

"I don't get it..." Nala said as she, Simba, and Haiba walked back to Pride Rock. "My father was killed, there's no way that guy is telling the truth."

"Unless your mother lied about that other lion being your father." Haiba suggested, which only got him a nasty glare from Nala.

"My mother wouldn't lie to me!" Nala yelled.

"I was just throwing it out there." Haiba said, "I don't really think she is."

"I really didn't like that guy." Simba said, "There was something about him... Something bad... Just his presence was enough to intimidate..." Simba was right about that. That lion didn't seem like someone who you would mess with.

"I hope my mother is okay..." Nala said, looking back over her shoulder. "I didn't like leaving her down there with him."

They then heard someone walking up fast behind them. They turned around and saw that it was Sarafina. She stopped next to them and looked at Nala. She looked pretty upset.

"Nala," She said, "I need to talk to you and your brother. Follow me." She led the cubs back to Pride Rock. Now she had to tell Nala and Mheetu the truth...

* * *

Mheetu was still sitting by Tora's side when Simba and Haiba walked over to him.

"Your mom needs to see you." Simba told him. "I think it's important."

"Alright." Mheetu replied, "Can you keep an eye on Tora? She's still in a lot of pain."

"Don't worry." Haiba said, "I'll watch her."

"Thanks." Mheetu told Haiba, but as he walked by Simba, he whispered something in his ear. "Can you keep an eye on Haiba?"

"Yep." Simba told him, "I got him."

Mheetu continued over to the den entrance, where his mother and sister were waiting for him. Once he reached them, Sarafina led them down Pride Rock.

"It's time I told you two something..." Sarafina said, not wanting to continue. "Nala, that lion you saw earlier..."

"Yeah?" Nala said, wanting her to continue.

Sarafina took a deep breath before revealing the truth, "He's your real father..."

* * *

**A/N: Now Nala and Mheetu know the truth... The lion they thought was their father really isn't. Mheetu might be a little confused, but it will be cleared up for him next time... Obviously, Boku is up to something, but what?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Time for Nala and Mheetu to hear the truth... Hope they take it well...**

**snheetah: You'll see what kind of relationship they had...**

**Anonymous13 B: His voice? I haven't really thought about it... If I had to give him one, maybe a little like Scar's, but not as deep or awesome sounding.**

* * *

**Chapter Two: The Truth Comes Out**

"Huh?" Mheetu said, stunned by the truth. "But we've never met him before."

Sarafina sighed, "And I hoped that you never would."

While Mheetu looked more surprised than upset, Nala's face clearly displayed her anger.

"So, that lion we always knew wasn't our dad!?" Nala shouted, "You've been lying to us!? Why would you want to keep us from knowing who our real father is!?" She couldn't believe that their own mother would lie to them, especially about who their real father was.

"Nala," Sarafina said, remaining calm with her daughter, "There's a reason I didn't tell you. I did it to protect you."

"From what?" Nala asked, "He didn't seem that bad. I thought he was crazy for saying he was my father, but I guess he was telling the truth..."

"He's not as nice as he seems." Sarafina said, "Like I said, there's a reason I never told you about him." She hated thinking about her time with Buko, but now she had to tell he cubs what that lion was really like.

"And that would be...?" Nala motioned for her mother to continue. She wanted to know why the truth had been kept from her and her brother.

"His name is Buko." Sarafina said, reluctant to even say the name, "When I met him, I thought he was the love of my life... I soon realized that I was very, very wrong... He was abusive. He called me horrible names that should never be said to any lioness." That was the only the psychological aspect of his abuse, Sarafina saw the physical aspect of it to be much worse.

"He also beat me." Sarafina continued, shuttering at her memories, "He was brutal. If I said one thing out of line, or did anything he didn't like, he would strike me until I was a bloody mess... And that wasn't the worst part."

She now had Nala and Mheetu's undivided attention. Nala now felt bad for yelling earlier... She shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that.

"He had threatened to kill Nala after she was born." She told them. "He never acted on that, I was able to convince him that she was his." She looked at Nala, "_Which you are._"

"So, why didn't you leave?" Mheetu asked.

"I still loved him." Sarafina said, "I thought the lion I fell in love with was still somewhere inside him, but it was only after I became pregnant with Mheetu that I realized I needed to get out of there. He had become much more violent. I needed to get you two and myself away from him before he could hurt us, which by that point, he would have. I barely managed to stop him from killing Nala during one of his outbursts."

"So, I wasn't born yet?" Mheetu asked.

"No," His mother answered, "When we left, I had just gotten pregnant with you. He never knew. That's when we went to the Lake Pride. I met the lion I like to call your father and we had a happy life until he was killed and had to leave again."

"Not to mention that scummy Roka..." Mheetu muttered, remembering the cub who had kidnapped Nala and nearly killed him twice.

"Why is he back?" Nala said, "Why would he be looking for me?"

"I don't know, dear." Sarafina said. "But if you see him again, get away from him. Do not let him get you. Come straight to me or one of the other adults in the pride."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing you're here." a voice sounded from behind Sarafina. She turned around and Nala and Mheetu stood right behind her.

Buko was standing there, a grin on his face. "Reliving the past, Sarafina?" He asked, "Back when we were in love?"

"I told you to get out of here!" Sarafina spat.

"I told you, not until I get what I came for." He looked behind her, down at Nala.

"You'll stay away from them!" She hissed, "Or I will _kill you!_"

"Oh, really?" Buko asked sarcastically. He wasn't scared of this lioness, which is why he ran directly at her.

"Run back to Pride Rock!" Sarafina yelled at her cubs right before Buko collided with her.

Nala and Mheetu bolted back in the direction of Pride Rock, listening to their mother, who Buko managed to easily take down. He looked up and saw the two cubs running away. He jumped off Sarafina, hearing one of her ribs crack as he lauched himself off her and made a beeline at Nala.

"Got you!" Buko yelled as he picked Nala up by the scruff of her neck and began to run in the other direction with her.

"Mom! Help!" Nala shouted.

Sarafina felt the pain of her broken rib, but that wasn't going to stop her from saving her daughter. "Mheetu! Keep going to Pride Rock!" She began running after Buko, but it was going to be hard to catch up when she was in pain...

* * *

_Ugh... _Tora thought to herself, _Why couldn't Kora and Sora stayed a little longer? _Haiba was really beginning to get on her nerves.

"Please?" Haiba said to her.

"Haiba for the last time," Tora said, "You _cannot _kiss my injuries to make them better. They're on my stomach, that would just be weird..."

"Haiba, stop bugging her." Simba said, "Just let her rest."

"I was just-"

"Guys!" Mheetu yelled as he tore into the den, coming to a stop in front of the three. Gasping for breath.

"Woah!" Simba exclaimed, "What's wrong?"

"Nala... Was... Kidnapped." He breathed, "My mother... Went after them..."

"Which way did they go!?" Simba asked frantically.

Mheetu indicated with a paw, "That way."

"Shouldn't we tell someone?" Haiba asked.

"Mheetu tell my parents." Simba said, "I'm going ahead now. I don't care if I get in trouble. Let's go, Haiba. We can't waste time."

"I would help." Tora said, "But I can't. Good luck... Ow..."

Simba led Haiba out of the den. They started running immediately. They didn't have time to stop at the water hole to tell anybody else, Simba just wanted to get to Nala before anything happened to her... They knew that lion from earlier had to be involved... And they didn't even know about his past...

* * *

**A/N: So... Buko... Not a nice guy is he? But what does he want with Nala? It doesn't look like his violent nature has subsided over time... See you next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: That Buko is a scum bag... He better not hurt Nala, if he knows what's good for him... Ah, what am I saying? Buko doesn't care what anybody thinks!**

**Greg M 94: Haiba? Stop Flirting? What world do you live in?**

**Anonymous13 B: I thought a little humor was needed in that last chapter, to lighten the mood a little.**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Buko the Monster**

Buko ran. He ran until the sun was down. By this point he was sure he had put enough distance between himself and the Pridelands. He dropped Nala to the ground, and stopped to take a break. Nala was about to make a break for it, but Buko stopped her.

"Don't try it!" Buko shouted, "If you run, I have no problem chasing you down and snapping your neck. You've become expendable, since you have a brother."

Nala was now glad that her mother had never told her about this lion. It was clear that he was brutal and ruthless. She wasn't sure why he had kidnapped her at all. She didn't even remember him.

"Why did you take me?" Nala asked, wanting to know her father's motivation behind it.

"A very simple reason, my daughter." Buko replied, "After your mother left with you, I also left my pride. I eventually started my own. I need an heir to my pride when I am gone... That's where you come in."

"Why couldn't you just have another cub?" Nala asked. _If anyone would even want to be with this monster._

" I have..." Buko told her, "But none of them were good enough... They were imperfect in some way."

"So... You just have a bunch of cubs?" Nala asked.

"Hah!" Buko laughed, "Of course not! I killed them to get them out of my sight!"

That made Nala sick. This lion wasn't worthy to be called a father. He was a cold-blooded killer, nothing else. Nobody murders their own cubs unless they are truly evil. For all she knew, she would be next if he wasn't careful.

"You're sick..." Nala backed away from him. "Let me go... You're a monster."

"Oh, my dear..." Buko said, "You don't even know... Now, let's get back to my pride so you can become a proper heir... You will need the proper training." He picked Nala back up and continued back to his pride. Nala could only hope that she would be rescued soon. She didn't know if Buko had hurt her mother when they fought. She knew Buko wasn't going to get away with this... He couldn't.

* * *

Simba and Haiba hadn't ran far before they ran into Sarafina. The adrenaline in her body had worn off and now the pain from her broken rib was taking it's toll on her... In fact, it may have been more than one rib. She wasn't exactly happy about Simba and Haiba showing up, seeing how dangerous the situation was.

"You two need to go back." Sarafina said as they slowly walked in the light of the moon. "Buko is too dangerous, leave this to me."

"Not a chance." Simba told her. "If Nala is in trouble, there's no way I'm just going to stand by and wait."

"Yeah," Haiba said, "me neither."

"Why did he kidnap Nala anyway?" Simba asked.

"I don't know..." Sarafina said, "I haven't seen him since Nala was very young. I don't know what he wants with her."

"Would he hurt her?" Haiba asked, "You would think he wouldn't hurt his own daughter."

"Oh, he'd definitely hurt her." Sarafina said, "That's why I need to hurry and get there. He'd kill her without hesitating."

"My parents will be on the way soon." Simba told her. "Mheetu was supposed to tell them."

They had a long way to go. The pride that Buko was on his way to was about a day and a half away, but Sarafina didn't know that. She was just following Buko's scent.

"I really think you cubs should go back." Sarafina said, "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I already told you," Simba said, "we aren't going anywhere."

Sarafina sighed. She knew there was no way she was going to convince them to go back, so she just continued walking. She could only hope that Nala was still safe, and that Buko wouldn't hurt her... That would be the last mistake that he ever made.

* * *

Mheetu knew that he needed to tell Mufasa and Sarabi about Nala, but he also knew that if he told them too soon, Simba would be sent back. Simba wouldn't like that... But he had to tell them.

"You know," Kora said to Mheetu, "you could go tell them now."

"I'm not so sure..." Sora said, noticing the king and queen were asleep. "Maybe you should wait until the morning. Then, Simba and haiba will have put some distance between them and the Pridelands."

"But what if Nala is in danger?" Mheetu asked, "She needs help!"

"I'm sure your mother, Simba, and Haiba will let anything happen to her." Kora said, "He must have kidnapped her for a reason. If he wanted her dead, he would have done it when he found her the first time."

"I guess..." Mheetu said, still visibly upset. "I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. Not when I know Nala is being held captive by some psychopath..."

"At least try and relax." Tora, who was laying next to them, said. "Just tell Simba's parents in the morning and they'll take care of it, I'm sure. They'll kill that creep."

"If he hurts Nala..." Mheetu said, "I'll never get over it. Just his presence, before he attacked, was scary."

"It'll be fine." Tora assured him, not completely sure herself. "Just try and rest. Don't keep yourself up worrying." Mheetu didn't say anything else as he lied next to Tora. It was going to be a long, sleepless night for him.

* * *

**A/N: Buko truly is a monster... Murdering your own children because you see them as imperfect? That's as bad as you can get... How will he train Nala to become his heir? She obviously isn't happy about it. I guess you'll have to wait and see...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Well... Now that we know what Buko is capable of, it's clear that he's an evil monster... But it can't get any worse... Right?

**yeti1995: **I think it will take more than a mere broken rib to stop Sarafina from saving her daughter, We all know how tough she is.

**Anonymous13 B: **Only a true monster would kill their own children. Buko is just horrible. It's even more clear why Sarafina left him.

* * *

**Chapter Four: Nala's Training**

"Here we are." Buko said as he dropped Nala at the edge of his territory. It had been a long trip, but they had finally arrived.

Nala looked around at the landscape. It was not what Nala had expected. She assumed that it would be an area in disrepair, with no water, food, or much plant life. However, she based this completely on her father's personality. It was really one of the most beautiful landscapes that she had ever seen. There was lush, green grass stretching out for miles, a large river flowed in the distance, and many animal heards wandered the fields. Though, the most stunning feature was the mountain range that was pressed against the sky, miles from where Nala was now. By all appearance, it seemed to be a thriving kingdom.

Buko took notice of Nala's impressed expression. "Glorious, isn't it?" He asked. "You won't find another kingdom like this one, except maybe the Pride Lands. This kingdom is even more superior, in my opinion. Now, enough admiration. Move." He nudged her with a paw to get her to start walking.

While Nala had to admit that it was a beautiful kingdom, she didn't have time to get caught up in that. She needed to find a way out of there... Which seemed to be impossible with her father, which he didn't deserve to be called, threatening to kill her at any escape attempt. She had no idea what was in store when they got to the pride. Despite having what appeared to be a wonderful land to live in, there was no way they could be happy under Buko's rule. She would soon get to find out, as they were getting closer and closer to the heart of the pride.

* * *

When Nala and Buko reached the main part of the pride, Nala saw that it looked just as wonderful as the rest of the land. There were many lionesses walking around or laying out in the sun. There were also a few cubs playing by the pride's water hole, which was about twice the size of the one in the Pride Lands. What struck Nala most however, was how happy everybody looked. Surely nobody could be this happy under Buko's rule. Something was up with this pride.

"Since I'm a fair lion," Buko said, "you'll have one free hour before your training begins."

"So, you're going to let me be on my own?" Nala asked.

"Oh, no, no, no..." Buko said, "Do you think I'm that foolish? You'll be under the strict supervision of one of the lionesses." He looked past Nala and signaled for a lioness to come to them.

This lioness had a small, slim build and light brown fur. She was pretty and had blue eyes, but something seemed off about her. Nala just wasn't sure what it was.

"Yes, my lord?" The lioness said as she approached them. Her voice seemed normal, and looked to be in control of herself, so hypnotism seemed to be unlikely.

"Thiri," Buko addressed her, "I need you to look after our guest for a while. She's the princess, sso make sure she stays out of trouble."

"As you wish." Thiri bowed her head to him.

"Excellent." Buko smiled, "I'll be back to collect her later."

As Buko left the two, Thiri spoke to Nala, "Hello, princess." She had a smile on her face as she said it. Nala was still suspicious about her.

"Hi..." Nala said playing along. Maybe she would be able to find out some information about this pride, like why everyone was so happy when their ruler was clearly evil.

"Why don't you come down to the water hole?" Thiri suggested, "I'm sure the other cubs would love to meet you."

"Sure..." Nala answered, "But may I ask a question?"

"Go right ahead." Thiri smiled. "I'm sure that I can answer it for you."

"Why are you all so happy?" Nala asked. "Buko is evil! How can you live under him when he's a cold-blooded killer?"

Thiri laughed at Nala's question, "Oh, dear... It appears you're a little dehydrated. Buko is a wonderful ruler. Look at this kingdom, it wouldn't be in this state without him! Let's get you down to the water hole before you pass out."

"But-" Nala wasn't able to finish as Thiri stated to nudge her toward the water hole.

_Alright... _Nala thought. _Something is definitely up around here, and I'm going to find out what._

* * *

"Why didn't Mheetu tell us sooner?" Mufasa asked as he and Sarabi were on their search for Nala, Sarafina, and their own cub. They had been out searching for many, many hours, but it was clear that Sarafina, Simba, and Haiba had gotten a good headstart on them.

"I don't know, Mufasa." Sarabi told him, "I thought Mheetu would know better than to keep that kind of information to himself."

"He knew that Simba had left," Mufasa said, "and we all know that he likes to be a hero. Maybe he put Mheetu up to it so he could get ahead."

"Let's not worry about that right now." Sarabi told him, "Let's find them first. That's the most important thing. The last thing we want is for anyone to get hurt."

* * *

"Do you think it's much farther?" Haiba asked. He, Simba, and Sarafina had been walking for over a day now, and they still hadn't caught up to Buko and Nala.

"I don't think so..." Sarafina said, wincing at the pain from her ribs. "Maybe a few more hours."

"At least we're getting close." Simba said. "If that creep has hurt Nala, I'm going to kill him."

"I'll kill him either way." Sarafina said, "He doesn't deserve to live... When we find them, I want you two to stay out of the way. We can't have you getting hurt or killed."

Simba and Haiba nodded, showing that they understood, but Simba had other plans. Nothing was going to stop him from helping to save Nala. Nothing.

* * *

Nala hadn't gotten anywhere. She couldn't get to the bottom to what was up with this pride. All the lionesses she asked all had nothing, but good things to say about the kind of ruler that Buko was. Even the cubs of the pride only had praise for him. She didn't understand. Buko was a killer. She was about to do a little more investigating when she suddenly heard Buko's voice.

"Alright, Nala..." Buko said. "It's time to begin your training. Follow me to the den."

As Nala walked along side him, Buko spoke once again.

"There is one important thing to know about being a ruler." Buko told her, "Do you know what that is?"

Nala gave no response, she just kept walking.

"It seems you don't know." Buko said, "The answer is to strike fear into your subjects... Did you notice how happy everyone was? That was because of the fear I've caused. They're too afraid to speak out against me. They've become so terrified that they can't help but be happy."

"How is that even possible?" Nala asked, not really believing it.

"I'm very intimidating when I need to be..." Buko said, "So much so, that it messes with their minds, but enough on that, it's time to begin." They came to a stop outside a large cave that was formed by a large rock structure, though it wasn't even close to Pride Rock's size.

Nala walked inside and looked around at the spacious interior. It looked much bigger from the inside. When she reached the back, she saw three cubs sitting next to each other... They all had terrified looks on their faces.

"What are they doing in here?" Nala asked, pointing at the three cubs.

"They're part of your training, Nala." Buko said, "Like I said, fear is a key element, and you need to know how to use it. You need to show your subjects that you, yourself aren't afraid. The best method is through means of violence, like so." Without hesitating, Buko walked up to one of the cubs and slit her throat, causing her to collapse to the floor, dead.

Nala felt her stomach churn as she watched the cub bleed out. She tried to back away, but Buko placed a paw behind her and pushed her in front of the next cub, a male.

"You aren't going anywhere, Nala..." Buko said, "Your first lesson has just begun. Now, I need you to do one little task... Kill him. Simple enough?"

"No!" Nala shouted, shaking her head. "I won't do it!"

Then Buko growled and struck her across the face. "It seems that you need another demonstration!" He pushed Nala aside and violently slashed the cub across the stomach. He fell to the ground and began coughing up blood. It wouldn't be much longer.

"There!" Buko yelled, "Is it clear enough now!?" He shoved her in front of the third cub, also a male. He was crying by this point.

"Kill him!" Buko commanded, "Now!"

"No!" Nala defied him, only to get struck across the face once more.

"I'll give you one last chance..." Buko told her, "Either you kill him, or I go back to the Pride Lands and slaughter everyone you care about. I can assure you that this pride has greater numbers. So, what will it be?"

Nala looked at the terrified cub in front of her... He had a look in his eyes that was pleading with her not to kill him.

"What are you waiting for!?" Buko yelled. "Kill him! He's weak! Just look at him, crying like a baby! Is he more important than your friends and family?"

Nala raised her paw and placed her claws on the cubs throat. She allowed some tears to escape her eyes as she looked at the frightened cub.

Nala just mouthed two words to him, "I'm sorry." Then she slit his throat, ending his life.

Buko looked down with a smile as Nala broke down and cried. The first step was complete, now she would be more willing to take directions. He could tell that there was definitely part of his personality in her, otherwise, she wouldn't have carried through with it.

"Well done, Nala." Buko told her, "You'll be fit to rule in no time."

Nala didn't answer as she continued to cry. She had just killed an innocent cub. She didn't know what to do... Buko had her trapped. She couldn't risk her friends and family, but that still didn't justify it.

Right now, Nala hated herself.

"There, there, Nala..." Buko said, putting a paw on his daughter's head. "I promise that it will get easier... But it seems that you still need some more experience. What do you say we move on to the next victim... I'm sure we can find someone for you to kill."

Nala ignored him and continued crying, which frustrated Buko. He violently pulled her face up to his.

"Stop that crying!" He growled, "You're not that week!" He threw her down onto the cub she had killed. She reacted by immediately jumping off of the body.

"I'll be back in twenty minutes." Buko said, "You better be done with that crying by then, or you will pay!" As he turned to leave he added one more thing, "Oh, and don't bother trying to run. There will be two lionesses guarding the entrance."

After Buko was gone, Nala broke down again. She had been mentally scarred... Forced into cold-blooded murder. She buried her face in her blood-stained paws and continued to cry...

* * *

**A/N: **Whew... That was my longest chapter yet! I felt bad for Nala writing the ending. It just shows what kind of monster Buko is by forcing his own daughter to be a killer... Let me know what you think in a review. See you tomorrow!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I'm evil for making Nala kill that cub, but the story took over. I loved that last chapter, it was dark... Ready for some sunshine? I hope not!

**ThatPersonYouMightKnow: **The darkness started a little early... But I think it's better that way.

**Anonymous13 B: **Well, Nala isn't so pure now... And that's just what Buko is going for.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Corruption**

"Nala," Buko said as he entered the den, "have you stopped all that incessant sniveling? It's time for your next test."

Nala had stopped crying, but that was due to the fact that she had run out of tears to shed. She couldn't get over the fact that she had taken an innocent life. It was the most traumatic thing she had been through, and there was nothing she could do to take it back. She just wanted to kill herself, but she knew that wouldn't be fair to her mother, Mheetu, and her friends.

"Good." Buko said. "Now that you've stopped all that crying, we can move on. Clearly, you need more experience killing. Get up."

Nala didn't move. She didn't want to. Buko was going to make her kill again, and she didn't want to go through that experience ever again, but Buko had other plans. He wasn't going to let her be weak, he could tell there was a chance he could shape her in his image. She made her first kill; she just needed a few more.

When Nala didn't move when he ordered her to, Buko violently picked her up by the scruff of her neck and tossed her toward the den's opening.

"Move it!" Buko yelled.

Nala stood up weakly and slowly started walking out of the den. She didn't say a word to him as she walked outside, with Buko following close behind her.

"Alright," Buko said, "you'll need to pull yourself together. Remember, if you don't do as I say, you can say goodbye to everyone you care about..."

Nala didn't answer, she just kept walking forward with a depressed expression on her face.

"I assume that means that you understand." Buko said. He picked up his pace to get ahead of her. "I'll need you to follow me..."

* * *

Buko had led Nala to a wide open field. At first, it didn't appear that there was anybody around, then Nala saw a lone cub out in the field. He appeared to be chasing something, maybe a mouse or a bug. She didn't like where this was going. She knew exactly what Buko was going to tell her to do. There was no way she could take another life; once was traumatizing enough.

"I assume you know what it is I want you to do." Buko told her.

"Kill him...?" Nala said weekly.

Buko nodded, "Yes, but this time will be a little different. You see, those cubs earlier knew it was coming. Now, we're going with the element to surprise. You're going to pin that cub to the ground and finish him. I don't care how much he begs, don't listen to him."

"I won't do it." Nala said flatly, "I can't do that again."

Buko once again struck Nala across her face, this time drawing blood.

"You just don't learn do you!?" Buko shouted. He violently pushed Nala in the direction of the cub. "You have three minutes. I suggest you hurry. Unless you torture him first, then you can take as long as you wish."

Nala wanted to throw up as she walked up behind the cub. She was being forced into murder once again, but then something strange happened. She suddenly heard Buko's voice roar inside her head.

_Kill him!_

Her reaction was unexpected, but at this point, she was oblivious to it. She immediately leaped on the cub, easily pinning him to the ground.

"Hey!" the cub yelled, "What are you doing?" It was only when Nala had her claws pressed to his throat that the cub realized how much danger he was really in. The only thing he could see in Nala's eyes was seething hate.

"Wait!" The cub shouted, "Don't kill me! Please, don't!"

The cub's pleas fell on deaf ears. Nala wasn't the same cub right now, but she was in full control of her actions. The only thing that was on her mind right now was to kill the cub pinned under her. With one swift motion, she did just that. As the cub lay there, bleeding under her, she seemed to snap back to reality. Her eyes grew wide with shock and she backed away from the cub. She had just willingly committed murder.

* * *

Simba, Haiba, and Sarafina were all impressed by the land they had arrived in. The open fields, large river, and the mountain range off in the distance, but they didn't take time to take in the scenery.

"Buko is close." Sarafina said, "This must be his kingdom."

"Which way is he?" Haiba asked, "We'll teach him not to mess with my princess- I mean Simba's princess."

"This way." Sarafina said as she followed the direction of Buko's scent. "He's not far." She also detected a very faint scent of blood. "Hurry! Something's wrong, I can smell blood."

Sarafina fought through the pain from her ribs as it became more intense as she ran. She had come this far, and nothing was going to stop her now.

* * *

Buko smiled as he approached Nala, who was still looking in shock at the cub she had killed. He could sense the hate in heer as she killed the cub. She had done that completely on her own. He knew he was getting through the part of her that was just like him. He noticed that she was about to breakdown again, but he stopped her by placing his claws under her chin.

"Why so upset?" Buko asked, "You killed him under your own will. I could sense the hate in you as you killed him. You enjoyed it."

Nala didn't have any words. Buko was right... She _had _enjoyed it. She was a killer. A cold-hearted killer.

"Now," Buko said, "Why don't-"

"Buko!" Sarafina yelled from behind the lion.

"Sarafina..." Buko said with out facing her. "I assume you're here for Nala? Well, come get her." He turned around, pushing Nala in front of him. He took notice of Simba and Haiba, who had refused to stay out of danger.

Simba, Haiba, and Sarafina also noticed of the blood that stained Nala's fur, and the scratch marks across her face.

"What did you do to her!?" Sarafina yelled.

"Just a little training Sarafina." Buko said. "Are you going to come retrieve her or not?"

Sarafina knew it was a trap so he could attack her, but that wasn't a concern. With a roar, she charged at him, jumping over Nala and colliding with Buko. This was going to end now, which was the same thought on Buko's mind.

As Sarafina and Buko fought, Simba and Haiba ran over to Nala.

"Are you okay?" Haiba asked.

"Does she look okay?" Simba asked sarcastically. "Nala, what did he do?"

"I killed... Them..." Nala muttered to herself.

"We need to get her out of here." Simba told him, lifting Nala on to his back.

Buko didn't notice Simba and Haiba getting away with Nala, as he was to occupied with Sarafina.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" Buko asked as he scratched her across the back. he could tell he was beginning to wear her down, due to the injury she had already suffered.

"You won't win!" Sarafina exclaimed as she leapt at him, but Buko just simply batted her aside.

Buko grinned, "That's where you're wrong, Sarafina..."

* * *

As Simba, Nala, and Haiba reached the edge of Buko's kingdom, they stopped when they saw two more lions approaching in the distance. As they got closer, the cubs realized it was Mufasa and Sarabi.

"See?" Mufasa said, "I told you it was this way."

"Can we not argue about this right now." Sarabi said before looking down at the cubs. "Where's Sarafina?"

"She's back there fighting Buko." Simba said. "We don't know what's wrong with Nala... She's in some sort of shock."

"Sarabi, you wait here with them." Mufasa said. "I'll go help Sarafina." He ran off in the direction the cubs had come from. He had no idea if Sarafina was okay or not, he could only hope.

* * *

"Do you give up now, Sarafina?" Buko asked as he looked down at the battered and bloodied lioness. "You can't take much more... I suppose I'll just put you out of your misery." As he went in for the kill he was suddenly taken down by a golden blur. He found himself looking up into the eyes of the King of the Pride Lands.

"You dared to come into my pride and kidnap one of the cubs, and send her into a traumatized state!?" Mufasa yelled in Buko's face, "Not only that, but you were about to kill one of my pride's members!?"

Buko struggled to get free, but he didn't know Mufasa was so powerful. He was trapped.

"There's only one punishment suitable for you." Mufasa breathed. "Death."

Buko didn't even have time to blink before his throat was slashed. That was it. Buko was going to die. Mufasa left him and went over to Sarafina, who had managed to stand up.

"Let's get back." Mufasa told her. "You'll need medical attention."

"Is Nala okay?" Sarafina asked.

"She's fine as far as we can tell." Mufasa said, "We'll take a closer look at her too." As he helped Sarafina walk back to where he left Sarabi and the cubs, Buko died. The monster was gone.

* * *

In the main part of Buko's pride, the pride members felt a sudden wave of change come over them. Like they had been released from some evil hold. Some of them seemed confused, while others searched for their cubs... Then one made the terrifying discovery in the den.

"He killed them!" The lioness shouted. "He killed the cubs!"

That's when their search for Buko began. Mufasa's group had left the area and were well on their way home when the pride discovered Buko's body, not far from the body of a fourth cub.

"Buko deserved it." A lioness said. "That monster deserves to rot in hell..."

Now they had to learn to cope with their losses... Which wouldn't be easy, but it helped that the killer was now dead.

* * *

"Simba..." Mufasa said as they all walked back to the Pridelands. "Do you have any idea how much danger you put yourself into!"

"What would you have done at my age if it was, Mom?" Simba argued.

"He has a point, Mufasa." Sarabi said. "You would have done the same thing."

"That's not the point." Mufasa said, "It was dangerous."

"Oh, just let it go." Sarabi said, "He had a good reason, and other than that, he's been behaving lately."

"Alright..." Mufasa gave in, seeing he wasn't going to win an argument with Sarabi. "I guess I will. How's Nala?"

"I think she's asleep." Simba said.

"She looked like she needed some rest." Sarabi told him, "Though, I have a feeling she has a bigger problem than exhaustion..."

* * *

Late into the night, a light gray lioness approached Buko's lifeless body.

"I thought you were stronger than that..." She said to him. "I thought that intimidation spell I put on you would keep you alive. It helped you run your pride anyway... Oh well, at least most of the plan worked... That cub is corrupt now. I'll handle it myself from now on, it'll be so much easier that way."

Then she vanished. A flash of light and she was gone.

* * *

**A/N: **And... Buko's gone, but now Nala is in a terrible mental state. Hopefully, she'll be able to recover. And that lioness at the end... Haven't we seen her before?


End file.
